Reversal Check Points
The following list of reversal check points have been compiled to give students easy steps to distinguish between gibberish, imagination and a genuine speech reversal. If followed meticulously, their use will greatly improve the student’s accuracy rate. To use them follow the following procedure.
First of all find a suspected reversal and then go over the phrase several times applying the following checking factors. Document the reversal along with the check points that it meets.
- Is the syllable count of the entire phrase correct? Eg: If the reversal was “This / is/ an / ex / am / ple,” there would be six syllables.
- Are the vowel and consonant sounds in each syllable clear and precise?
- Are the beginnings and endings of words clearly defined and distinguishable?
- Are the spacings sufficient between each word, so that it is clearly distinguishable from other words in the reversal?
- Is the reversed phrase distinct from the surrounding gibberish?
- Does the entire phrase have a continuous, melodious tonal flow from beginning to end?
- Does the phrase have a definite, constant beat or tempo from beginning to end?
Reverse Speech Categories
Once learning how to document speech reversals accurately with check points and validity factors, the Analyst must then determine what the reversal means. The first step in this process is to understand the speech complementarity involved ie: what is the relationship between the forward and reverse dialogue? Ask yourself the following questions:
- What is the precise forward dialogue responsible for the reversal?
- What is the sentence and paragraph in which the reversal appears?
- Is the reversal congruent with or contradicting the forward?
- Are the emotions communicated the same as or different from the forwards?
- Is the reversal communicating extra information concerning the forwards?
- What extra insights does the reversal give you?
There are eight main categories of complementary relationships in reverse speech. By examining each reversal individually and determining its category, the Analyst can gain a great understanding of the meaning and significance of each reversal.
1. Congruent reversals: These reversals are congruent with and confirm the content of the forward dialogue.
2. Incongruent reversals: These reversals will directly contradict what has been said forwards.
3. Expansive Reversals: These reversals add additional information to the forward dialogue.
4. External Dialogue: These reversals will directly speak to another person.
5. Internal Dialogue: These reversals will reflect internal thought processes, conscious and unconscious, as the psyche talks to itself, organising behaviour, giving instructions, and self analysis.
6. Trail and Lead Reversals: These reversals will appear in a conversation either before or after a topic is discussed in forward speech. In other words, they either “lead” the discussion or “trail” on after the topic has changed.
7. Future Tense Reversals: These reversals predict a future event or behavioural outcome in a persons life.
8. Comparative Reversals: These reversals have no obvious connection with the subject matter of the forward dialogue, but will rather contain an emotional comparison. That is, the reversal may discuss an event or subject that, although unrelated to subject of the forward dialogue, has similar emotions attached to it.